"Lyon Street Steps, Afternoon" is featured in Kathleen Elsey's solo exhibition at Thos. Moser in San Francisco. The exhibition includes her landscape paintings vibrant with color, beach paintings dancing with movement and still life paintings full of memories. Her paintings have been described as “flirting with burly Van Gogh effects with a vivified palette and brusque brushwork” by California art critic Josef Woodard. The exhibtion opened September 2nd and runs through December 31st at Thos. Moser Showroom, 3395 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, California. Artist's reception is October 2nd from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Please RSVP with the gallery if attending at (415 931-8131. Visit www.elsey.com to see more paintings from the exhibition. Kathleen's next plein air painting workshop is on the beautiful Cuyahoga River in Ohio October 11 and 12th.

We're excited to announce upcoming workshops with Ken Christensen in fabulous Tuscany, Italy! Ken has been asked by the wonderful Il Chiostro institute in the Chianti region to lead a workshop based at their amazing 12th century monastery in the heart of Tuscany. The monastery is completely restored to the highest modern standards of comfort and luxury. The Tuscan Renaissance Center is located in San Fedele, between Florence and Siena. Ken will provide the usual lively and fun workshop classes that his students have enjoyed for years. Il Chiostro will handle everything else, including local transportation, fabulous accomodations, gourmet meals, magnificent grounds, studios, and more for one inclusive price of $2,495 for an entire week including the classes. This is a fantastic opportunity. Take a look at their web site and you will be enchanted. Now is the time to make your dream of Tuscany and the artist's life come true. Workshops will be in June and September of 2015. It's not too early to start making plans. Feel free to contact Ken for more information.

Kathleen Elsey is offering a painting workshop in the beautiful coastal town of Santa Barbara, California. Join Kathleen and paint plein air while exploring the historical sights of this beach town. We will study light, line, shape, composition, value and color while you work to develop your own style and personal expression. There will be a tour of Kathleen‘s painting studio and lots of individual instruction at the easel. And on your own, if you have any spare time, check out the Santa Barbara museum, the galleries and shops downtown, the funk zone, and the Santa Barbara harbor. Details about Kathleen Elsey painting workshops at www.elsey.com.

Ken Christensen has scheduled two upcoming plein air workshops. One will be a two day, weekend, affair taking place March 15-16. The second one will be four days in June, the 3rd-6th. The format is the same in both. Ken will lead the group to a favorite location along California's fabulous Central Coast for an afternoon of painting. All of the classes will be in the afternoon. Ken will provide a lunch at his home/studio the first day so all the students can meet and greet. At the same time Ken can talk about materials and other matters in his studio. Each day the class will go to a different location and the subject matter will change from ranches to coastlines and other favorite scenes. Ken will do a demonstration painting, then turn the students loose to paint the scene of their choice. Ken will give each student personal attention and advice. If you are interested take a look at Ken's web site for more details.

The Kathleen Elsey painting "Hacienda Martinez" won "Award of Excellence" in the Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos, New Mexico. Kathleen Elsey, a Santa Barbara artist, had two paintings selected for this juried exhibition of the Plein Air Painters of New Mexico. Her painting, "River in the Hondo Valley", is also in this exhibition. The show runs through November 4, 2013.

Two Kathleen Elsey paintings, Hacienda de los Martinez and Peaceful Valley with Cows, are juried in to the Millicent Rogers Museum exhibition in Taos, New Mexico. Both Kathleen Elsey paintings were made on location in Taos, New Mexico. The exhibition features paintings of the Plein Air Painters of New Mexico of which Kathleen Elsey is a signature member. Join Kathleen Elsey and many of the best painters in the country at the artists’ reception on October 4th from 5pm - 7pm. Exhibition runs October 4th - November 3rd, 2013. More about Kathleen Elsey paintings at www.elsey.com.

Kathleen Elsey's painting, “Studio,” has juried in to the International Society of Acrylic Painters' 16th annual exhibition in The Showroom Gallery Paso Robles, California. Kathleen Elsey's fauve painting, “Studio," is a still life of the tools and objects scattered around her painting studio. Learn more about Kathleen Elsey, and her paintings here. In addition, Elsey has a painting on it's way to the National Association of Women Artists exhibition in New York City. "At the Beach, Mediterranean" made the cut for this exhibition.

Pierre Mori and his wife, Renee, recently visited the United States which provided the opportunity for a reunion of four of the New Fauves at Ken Christensen's home in Los Osos, California. While visiting Ken, Pierre was able to meet some of the fine artists living in the area including Rosey Rosenthal, Charlie Clingman, Howard Kline, Barbara Rosenthal, and Jackie Bradley. Then, for a day of painting and dinner, Kathleen Elsey came from Santa Barbara and Sue Dunker from Baywood Park to attend a Fauve reunion. Mutual notes and observations were shared as well as our love of the Fauves and those working in similar bold styles. The solidarity of the group is strong and we hope to reunite more often in the future, perhaps Chez Pierre in France.

Join master fauvist painter Ken Christensen for four days of on-site fun and instruction. Each day participants will paint on-site at a different locale among Ken's favorite sites on California's Central Coast. Subject matter will change day by day as the class will assemble to paint along the spectacular coast, deep in the rolling hills of wine country, in one of San Luis Obispo's historic old neighborhoods, or in the ranchland featuring beautiful old barns. Ken will paint a demonstration each day, explaining his techniques and approach to the subject. In addition Ken enlivens his classes with many amusing anecdotes form his long career of painitng around the United States and in Europe. Each artist is encouraged to paint the subject of their choice. Ken will circulate and give personal attention to each participant in bringing out the best in each artist's personal style. All levels of ability are welcome and can profit from Ken's direct and comprehensive advice.

Classes will be in the afternoons from 1:30 to 5:30 each day. A welcoming luncheon party is included the first day at noon at Ken's studio to enable all the artists to get to know each other. Entrnace fees are $380 for four days. A $50 deposit is sufficient to reserve a place. Class size is limited to guarantee the quality of the experience. Feel free to call or email with any further questions. (805) 528 1498

Join the Kathleen Elsey painting workshop and explore the historical missions, mountains, meadows and flower gardens of the coastal town of Santa Barbara. Unleash your creativity with bold brushwork and a vivified palette. Kathleen will demonstrate how she begins a painting and talk through her process as she applies paint to the canvas. There will be a tour of Kathleen’s studio, a slide show describing the development of her paintings, demonstrations and individual instruction at the easel. Details about Kathleen Elsey painting workshops for 2013 at elsey.com. Plein air workshop tuition is $350.

Kathleen Elsey solo painting exhibition at Thos. Moser Showroom in San Francisco opens November 2, 2012. Join California fauvist, Kathleen Elsey at the special Holiday Artist's Reception on December 6th and see her newest paintings, many of San Francisco and it's environs. Landscape paintings, beach paintings and still lifes are dancing with color, full of life and, as one California art critic writes, “mighty and memorable”. Located in the Sacramento Street neighborhood of cozy cafes and small boutiques, Thos. Moser is a favorite destination for locals and visitors alike. If you miss the San Francisco show, you may see the exhibition paintings on her www.elsey.com.More about Kathleen Elsey paintings and workshops at elsey.com.

Ken Christensen won the Best of Show award at the recent San Luis Obispo Plein Air Festival of 2012 for his painting "Leave a Light On," a nocturne of a view of Morro Bay. Ken executed the painting from the upper deck of his house during day light. He reversed the lighting effects to create a stunning nocturnal picture reminiscent of Van Gogh's "Starry Night." The difficulty of a nocturne is to have it show properly under interior lighting conditions. In order for everythiung to be read in the painting the values and lights have to be tweaked to show everything in the picture while retaining an unmistakable night atmosphere. Ken captured the night atmosphere including the twinkling lights of the distant embarcadero of Morro Bay. The festival judge, Stephen Berg-Hansen, awarded the Best of Show prize at the event's opening night, Friday, October 5th. Ken was also featured in the The Tribune newspaper prior to the event. Read the article here. The painting in the article is not the winner from the show.

David Pickett continues to be very productive. Pickett paints both in his studio and on-site, frequently with fellow New Fauve, Kevin Barton. In addition to painting in both oil and acrylic Pickett also creates sculptures and tile panels. He creates some massive works in tile in a modern mosaic style which readily incorporates his distintive style. Unfortunately we have no photos of his tile work but there are many new paintings by Pickett recently posted on this site under his name. Take a look at some stunning paintings of all types of subjects.

Join this Kathleen Elsey painting workshop and paint the best of Sonoma, searching the best old barns, the best mountain views, the best vineyards and the best gardens to paint. In the historic old town of Sonoma, our painting workshop group will meet in our studio each morning before heading out to make vineyard paintings, lavender field paintings, and all of the color of Sonoma County.

Three of the New Fauves united to participate in the Perry Paint-Out in Petoskey, Michigan in August. Ken Christensen was visiting his old stomping grounds in Northern Michigan and checking on his galleries in Petoskey, Traverse City and Grand Rapids. Kevin Barton and David Pickett, Petoskey natives, were also part of the paint out. Kevin has been very busy participating in the many art events in Michigan in the summer. The artists painted in the garden of Stafford's Perry Hotel for the day and the paintings were part of a silent auction at Stafford's Gallery two days later. As usual, all three created great works and had a great time painting and joking together.

Three of the New Fauves will gather to participate in the annual Perry Paint Out on the grounds of the Perry Hotel and Stafford's Art Gallery in Petoskey, Michigan on August 1st. Kevin Barton, Ken Christensen, and David Pickett are the three Fauves and all three show their work at Stafford's Gallery. There will be a one day paint out in the garden of the hotel and an auction of the works will take place two days later on August 3rd. The bright colors and bold style of these three friends will certainly shake things up at the show. The Perry Hotel overlooks beautiful Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan in downtown Petoskey. The town is famous for its million dollar sunsets and charming resort town atmosphere. In the summer the town is flooded with summer residents and painters working "en plein air" are a common sight.

A Kathleen Elsey painting workshop will be at New York's Chautauqua Institution July 9th through July 12th, 2012. The theme of your week is "Inspire. Act. Create." What better way to create than with a plein air and studio painting workshop with Santa Barbara artist, Kathleen Elsey? Unleash your creativity with bold brushwork and a vivified palette while making paintings bursting with life. Kathleen Elsey painting workshops are appropriate for all levels of painters. Join in for a memorable week of painting with abandon with California Fauve, Kathleen Elsey. More about Kathleen Elsey painting workshops and Kathleen Elsey paintings at elsey.com.

Neil Myers is pleased to share that his painting "Arms to the Sky" has been accepted for display at the prestigious "Scottsdale Salon of Fine Art 2012" at Legacy Gallery, in Scottsdale Arizona. You can visit the webiste for the 2012 Salon at:

There are now more ways than ever to find the New Fauves, see their work, and purchase directly from online galleries. James Flanagan has just announced his inclusion in the Ugallery. There, you can see some of his latest work and select a wonderful piece at a great price. Ken Christensen and Brian Simons have also joined an online gallery, LagunaArt.com. This online gallery also features some of Christensen's and Simon's finest work for immediate purchase. The site also gives you an entry into the wonderful world of art centered around the famous art mecca, Laguna Beach. Take a look at these fun sites to see more work. Purchases can also be made by contacting the New Fauves through this web site.

Join Kathleen Elsey for a plein air painting workshop while you tour the hidden creeks and bridges, historical missions, gardens and coastline of the “American Riviera,” Santa Barbara, California. The climate is often described as Mediterranean with it’s sun-drenched beaches, Spanish architecture, palm trees and olive trees. You will study composition, light, color and value while painting this beautiful coastal town. See examples of Kathleen Elsey's paintings of beaches, landscapes and interior scapes.

Beginners will learn how to plan a painting, make a simple sketch, mix colors, apply paint to the canvas and finish a painting. Intermediate and advanced painters will practice creating an interesting composition, capturing light and depth, solving problems and painting bright and bold. There will be a tour of Kathleen’s painting studio, demos, individual instruction, critiques and lots of camaraderie. Join Kathleen the day before the workshop at the harbor on the "Ranger" cruise yacht. Sketch and photograph as you enjoy the stunning views of the Santa Barbara Coastline. A small donation to the Maritime Museum reserves your place with the crew. Workshop tuition is $350. For more information about all of Kathleen's 2012 workshops visit elsey.com.

"There is not a right or wrong way to paint. There is nothing better than putting your brain away and letting your eyes take over and see what happens with the paint." Kathleen Elsey

Ken Christensen has announced two plein air workshops for the coming months. The first one is a weekend workshop in March and the second is a four day workshop in June. Both workshops will be around Los Osos, California. Have fun painting on site and learn to paint like a Fauve!

Weekend Workshop with Ken Christensen

March 24, 25, 2012

Ken Christensen is offering a special weekend workshop for oil painting. Ken will share his wonderful technique for on-site painting. Participants will work at two of Ken’s favorite sites in the Morro Bay, Los Osos area. Each day Ken will paint a demo and then coach participants as they paint their own works. The Saturday session will begin at 10:30 to noon with an opening talk in Ken’s studio. After a lunch break, work will continue on-site from 1:30 to 5:30. The Sunday session will also be from 1:30 to 5:30. Like Ken’s artwork, the emphasis will be on a bold, free, colorful approach to capturing the beautiful landscape surrounding us. In addition to a wealth of practical information, Ken keeps things entertaining withstories and anecdotes from his long career inEurope and the U.S. The tuition is $190. A list of suggested materials and possible accommodations for out of town students will be supplied upon registration. A small deposit is required. More information can be had by calling Ken at 805 528 1498, or by email at kendartman@sbcglobal.net. You can see Ken’s work and learn more about him at www.kenchristensen.net.

Oil Painting Workshop with Ken Christensen

June 19-22, 2012

Join Ken Christensen for a stimulating and fun four day plein air workshop. Each day Ken will paint a demo while explaining his bold and colorful technique, and then participants will paint their own interpretations of the beautiful landscapes chosen. Artists will work in four different locations in the Morro Bay, Los Osos area with a variety of subjects from seascapes to mountains. The first day of the workshop will begin with an opening talk in Ken’s studio from 10:30 to noon. Then, the painting sessions will be from 1:30 to 5:30 each day. In addition to a wealth of practical information Ken keeps things lively with stories from art history, the philosophy of art, and anecdotes from his long career in Europe and the U.S. A list of suggested materials and possible lodging for out of town students will be made available upon registration. Class size is limited so early registration is encouraged. Tuition is $380 for the four days. A small deposit is required. You can learn more by contacting Ken at kendartman@sbcglobal.net or calling (805) 528 1498. See Ken’s work at www.kenchristensen.net.

Join this Kathleen Elsey Painting Workshop in Santa Barbara, California and paint in the beach front studio. We’ll work in the comfort of our sunlit studio with panoramic views of the beach and paint from still life, interiors, and the sea scape out the windows. We will practice making beach paintings, working outside or from the sketches and photos that you make. Our painting workshop group will also board the Santa Barbara historic antique yacht "Ranger" for a private cruise of the Santa Barbara coast on the day after the workshop. We can sketch and photograph or simply enjoy the stunning Santa Barbara coastline! More details about this Kathleen Elsey painting workshop and Santa Barbara here.

The New Fauves are proud to be featured in the Kamp Gallery which recently moved to a larger space in Winnetka, IL. Barbara Vahlkamp, the gallery owner, has created a magnificent space in the Hubbard Woods section of Winnetka in the northern Chicago suburbs. Barbara is enthusaistic about the New Fauves and is featuring a large collection of the group's work in the front room of her new location. Take a look at the Kamp Gallery web site to learn more about this exhibit and this high quality gallery.

Ken Christensen is exhibiting at Thomas Moser's showroom in San Francisco from October 2nd to December 31st. This beautiful showroom with the distinctive furniture of Thomas Moser is a great setting for the dynamic paintings of Christensen. He has twenty-one paintings on display, all oils, and mostly California landscapes. Threre will be a recption with the artist on December 8 from 5 to 8 PM. Christensen is following in the footsteps of his fellow Fauve, Kathleen Elsey, who also exhibited at Thomas Moser Cabinet Maker. Store hours are Sunday 11 to 4 and Monday thru Saturday 10 to 6. Thomas Moser is located at 3395 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, CA 94118. Telephone: (415) 931 8131

C J Michelson is now showing with Classic Art Gallery in Carmel,CA. Although Michelson now lives in Austin, Texas, she continues to find inspiration in California. Michelson especially likes painting the barns of California's Central Coast. As usual, she visited and painted with Ken Christensen in Los Osos,CA. During her three week sejour in California, Michelson worked hard to produce a new body of work for her growing fans in Carmel. Classic Art Gallery also has a location in Palm Desert, CA where you can also see Michelson's work

The New Fauves are proud to be represented by the Kamp Galleries in Chicago. Kamp Galleries have two locations in the Chicago area, in the northern suburb of Winnetka and downtown in the Drake Hotel. The Kamp Galleries are noted for their fine collections of Period and Contemporary fine art which now includes the dynamic work of the New Fauves. The galleryn owner and director is Barbara Vahlkamp. For more on the the Kamp Galleries click here.

Join the Kathleen Elsey painting workshop for a plein air painting vacation on October 16, 17 & 18, 2011."We'll paint the beauty of Sonoma County, searching the best old barns, the best mountain views, the best vineyards and the best gardens. In the historic old town of Sonoma, we'll meet in our painting studio (just a couple of blocks from the historic plaza) each morning before heading out to paint the colorful autumn landscape". Find more about Kathleen Elsey painting workshops and her paintings at www.elsey.com. "I have an exciting painting exhibition coming in October. Read more about "The Salty Edge" painting exhibition in Santa Barbara, California with ten of Kathleen Elsey's Fauvist paintings.

Join California painter, Kathleen Elsey in a Kathleen Elsey painting workshop in Santa Barbara April 19, 20, 21 & 22. You will paint in the comfort of our sunlit studio with panoramic views of the beach and paint from still life, interior scape, and the ocean scape out the windows. Kathleen Elsey will also offer a plein air painting workshop in Santa Barbara on April 27, 28 & 29th. Come prepared to paint everything, catch a wave, explore the harbor, gallery hop and enjoy a sensational sunset at Butterfly Beach. Find more about Kathleen Elsey painting workshops and paintings at elsey.com.

Ken has several exhibits running concurrently in the Central Coast area of California. He has a one man show at Big Sky Restaurant in San Luis Obispo. The restaurant is located at 1121 Broad Street in downtown SLO. There are nine oil paintings of California scenes and one painting of the Cote d'Azur in France. Ken is also rotating paintings in the restaurant so there are often new paintings to see. The exhibit runs through February 8. Ken is also featured at www.zollerwinestyling.com for the month of January. There will be a reception with the artist on January 28 from 5 to 7. Ken is also a part of a self portrait exhibit at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art. The exhibit is called "Overture" and will run through January. Finally, Ken has two paintings in the annual Hearts Obispo exhibit at the SLO Arts Council. The exhibit is called "Recipe for Love" with the theme of love for Valentines day. The exhibit will run to Feb 4 when there will be a specail reception.

Kathleen Elsey, California Fauve, is featured with a solo exhibition of twenty six paintings paired with beautifully designed natural wood furniture in Thomas Moser’s elegant showroom, Presidio Heights, San Francisco. Kathleen Elsey, Santa Barbara artist, paintings are vibrant with color, her beach paintings dancing with movement and her still life paintings full of mood and memories. Her fauvist and impressionist paintings have been described as “mighty and memorable” by one California art critic. Kathleen Elsey painting workshops are offered in California, New Mexico and New York. More about Kathleen Elsey painting workshops at www.elsey.com

Ken recently returned from three weeks in November visiting Argentina and neighboring Uruguay. While there he visited his daughter, Claudia, and friends, Lola Moreno and Clodo Luque. While in Buenos Aires he filled pages of three sketchbooks with pen and ink drawings and watercolors. Oil painting is too encumbrant for a short sejour so Ken relies on sketching to record his impressions. Some of these sketches and watercolors my later be used for large oil paintings executed in his studio. Ken stayed in the San Telmo district of Buenos Aires, the oldest and most artistic quarter of the city. San Telmo is the heart of tango and includes some of the oldest and most picturesque cafes in the city. This is rich territory for sketching and notable architecture. In Uruguay he travelled to Punta del Diablo, a very interesting and charming small fishing village. The village is a colorful idyll filled with small cabins of a variety of styles, usuaully painted in bright colors. It is an artist's paradise. Both countries provided unlimited inspiration with new things to draw and paint.

Exciting news! There is a NEW New Fauve in the group, Brian Simons from Victoria, B.C., Canada. This adds a third country to the international mix, along with the U.S. and France. Brian is a fantastic painter and his work will certainly add luster to the group. More of Brian's work will become available on this site in the coming days. Meanwhile, you can look at Brian's own web site by clicking here.

"Neil Myers Paintings, 2002- 2010" is the first collection of Neil Myers' paintings in book form, and contains over 75 color reproductions of Neil's work, spanning the last 8 years. Sections include works from Arizona, New Mexico, the West, and Diverse Works. You can preview and order your copy by following the link listed above, or going to www.neilmyersart.com and clicking on the link on the homepage.

Neil Myers was picked in 2005 by Southwest Art Magazine as one of their "21 Under 31" young artists to watch, and has since been featured in Tucson Home Magazine, Oro Valley Magazine, and the Arizona Collector's guide.

Neil was a recent recipient of "Rising Star" award from Lenoir-Rhyne University in North Carolina.

Ken Christensen will be very busy for the next month with several events. On Saturday, August 21, he will be part of the Los Olivos Quick Draw in Los Olivos, California. Artists will complete an entire painting in one hour followed by a live auction of the works. There will also be an exhibit of works by participating artists at the Montanaro Farm nearby.

September brings the Plein Air Festival in San Luis Obispo, California.Ken has particiapted in every one of the Plein Air events at San Luis Obispo for the past seven years. He is a local favorite and always wows the public with the size of his big paintings in the Saturday Quick Draw.

Then, Ken will be an exhibitor in theCentral Coast Book and Author Festival, September 19th. Ken has a new book to present this year, his novel, "Joey Appleshoe." He will also be selling copies of his other novels, "Up North with Uncle Bob," and "The Blue Cabin." All of his books are available through Lulu. The festival is held on the Mission plaza in downtown San Luis Obispo and is a charming way to get up close with a large variety of authors.

The weekend of October 9 and 10 is the annual Open Studios tours of artists in San Luis Obispo County. Great crowds descend on the artists' lairs to meet the artists and see how and where they work. Ken will open up his studio to the public and will have a huge inventiry of new work to show.

Char Michelson was visiting fellow Fauve artists, Sue Dunker and Ken Christensen. While in California, she painted 4 paintings, revisiting favorite sites like Toro Creek Road. She also met with the Wednesday Irregulars despite tumultuous winds, reconnecting with old friends, including master painter John Barnard. It was a fruitful trip which she hopes to repeat in the near future.

Ken Christensen delivered a talk to the San Luis Obispo Art Center about his recent trip to France. The title of the talk was "France by Bike and Barge." The idea was to share information and encourage others to explore France in these unique and entertaining ways. Ken told the audience how to rent a bike, possible itineraries, and helpful hints for a cross country bike tour. Then he explained about barging in France, an increasingly popular past time and a wonderful way to explore the countryside. Ken traveled through the Canal du Midi with his friends aboard their boat, the Biesbosch.biesbosch.blogspot.com/ He learned a lot about travelling by barge from the captain, Bill Coates. Bill is rightly proud of his boat but anyone can walk up and rent a boat to cruise the canals. There are also many luxury tours which include gourmet meals and side trips. The SLO Art Center is interested in having Ken lead a group to France next year and several attendees were interested.

Pierre Mori recently hosted fellow Fauve painter Ken Christensen at his summer home in Feux, a village near Sancerrre in the center of France. Christensen was in France for a five week sejour of traveling, visiting friends, and painting. Mori has a beautiful summer home including a large studio that was once the village dance hall. The two painted together and Mori showed Christensen around the area including the beautiful towns of Bourges and La Charitie-sur-Loire. The Loire River is a continous thread of beauty throughout this region and the rolling hillsides of vineyards form a blanket of verdure and patchwork forms. Christensen painted three oil paintings on site while Mori prefers working in the studio. However the two had the pleasure of working side by side in Mori's studio as Christensen re-worked his paintings and Mori worked on his Fauvist/Expressionist works.

Kathleen Elsey paintings, infused with vibrant colors, explore interior spaces, figures, still life, beaches and landscapes. Working both plein air and in her studio, she paints with a vivified palette and brusque brushwork recalling both Fauvist and impressionist traditions. Her solo exhibition at the elegant Divine Inspiration Gallery of Fine Art in Santa Barbara will feature over fifty of her paintings including the premier exhibition of her figurative works. The exhibition opens on July 1 and runs through August 28. More about Kathleen Elsey, her workshops and paintigs, at www.elsey.com

Kathleen Elsey lived in San Francisco and Sonoma, California for over twenty years, as owner of Kathleen Elsey Design Studio Inc. Ten years ago, in 1999, Elsey closed the doors of her design studio in San Francisco to devote her energy to painting, traveling and teaching painting workshops. In 2003, she settled in Santa Barbara with her husband, Victor and her dog, Lulu.

In the past year, Elsey’s paintings have been on exhibition at the Albuquerque Museum and the Bakersfield Museum as well as the Salmagundi Art Club in New York City. Her work is also represented by galleries in Carmel, California, Atlanta, Georgia and Hawi, Hawaii.

Kathleen Elsey is a member of the New Fauves, and a signature member of both the National Association of Women Artists and the American Impressionist Society. For more information about her paintings and workshops visit www.elsey.com.

Kathleen Elsey painting "The Writers' Garden" is on it's way to New York's National Association of Women Artists' 120th Annual Exhibition in May. Kathleen Elsey has been a signature member of NAWA since 2000. .

Ken Christensen is one of the participating artists in a unique art event called "Magnum Masterpieces". Artists were invited to paint or decorate a magnum wine bottle (20 inches high). There is a silent auction for these bottles, the proceeds to go for The Showroom Gallery, a new gallery and location for the Paso Robles Art Association located in the new Studios in the Park in downtown Paso Robles (CA). You can view Ken's effort and the other bottles by looking at them online. You may also bid on the bottles or purchase them outright online. To see the bottles, click here

Ken Christensen will be participating in a festival for the arts in Paso Robles, California on May 23rd of 2009. The theme of the festival is "Follow The River". The artists will be showing paintings featuring the Salinas River which winds slowly through town. Ken has been painting in the area the past weeks to complete landscapes of the river valley. There will also be a quick draw on the morning of the festival when a large group of artists will all complete a work "en plein air". Learn more about this fun event at the web site for the festival.www.prcity.com/fota

The Grand Gallery of Grand Rapids and Ada, Michigan, recently hosted a reception on March 20th, 2009, for an exhibit featuring Ken Christensen. The exhibit also featured the work of Douglas Baker. Christensen showed twenty outstanding Fauvist works featuring scenes of Michigan and California. He has shown with the Grand Gallery, formerly the Bergsma Gallery, since 1994. The artist attended the opening and during the following days led a workshop in oil painting at the gallery. The workshop's focus was to show artists how to convert their sketches and photos into lively paintings capturing the feel of plein air work. You may see the entire collection of Christensen's pieces here.

David Pickett recently completed a painting of Alan Greenspan called "The Evil Wizard". Dave's sense of humor is in evidence but his Fauvist portrait of the former Federal Reserve Chairman is a perceptive character study.See more of Dave's recent work on his page on this web site.

Two great painters have been added to the roster of the New Fauves, Kathleen Elsey and Kevin Barton. Like all of the Fauves, their work is highly colored and full of life. Kathleen lives in Santa Barbara, California and has exhibited widely in California and beyond. She is also a very popular teacher and holds workshops all over the country. Go to her page on this web site and see more of her work and learn more about Kathleen Elsey.

Kevin Barton lives in Petoskey, Michigan, as does another New Fauve, David Pickett. These two artists are friends and frequently paint together. Kevin is strongly influenced by Van Gogh which can be easily seen in his work. His page is not yet complete for this site but here is one image to give you a preview of his outstanding work.

Sue Dunker will be having a one person show entitled "Colourforms" in Ridgecrest, California at the Maturango museum. The show opens on November 14th and will run through January 3, 2009. The show features some bold new work from Sue's travels to Mexico and Guatemala. Sue brings new life and vibrancy to the pastel medium giving these South of the border themes a bright Fauvist approach. Among her favorite subjects are the missions and old adobe structures of this part of the world. She interprets the play of light and shadows in surprisingly rich colors.

Also, three of Sue's giclees were recently purchased by Cafe Sabor in Logan, Utah. The subjects were also Southwest themes. The giclees were printed on canvas, gallery wrapped, and mounted with thin black frames which resulted in a great presentation.

The New Fauves are proud to announce publication of a novel by one of our members, Ken Christensen. His novel, The Blue Cabin, is now available for sale in paperback or hardback at the web site, www.lulu.com. Simply enter the name of the book or the author's name to find the page and ordering information for The Blue Cabin. This is a novel based on Christensen's own life in the South of France. The book was originally written in 1981 while Christensen was living in Solliés-Pont on the Cote d'Azur in France. The novel languished in notebooks until recently when Christesnen polished up the manuscript and published it with Lulu.

The story of the novel features a young American livng in France and trying to write his first novel. He struggles with writing, learning a new language, and adapting to life in a foreign country. He meets an interesting cast of characters but he longs for a French girlfriend. His dreams seem to come true but his life becomes much more complicated when his former mistress from London shows up unexpectedly. One of his best friends in France is another American, a painter, and they have many interesting discussions on art and the artist's life. The book is noteworthy for its descriptions of the South of France, the struggles of a young man to get a foothold in life, and the balancing act between life, love, and artistic production.

The book contains ten pen and ink drawings by Christensen showing the local scenes there in the South of France.

Christensen is also the author of another book of his memoirs entitled Letters to Three Friends: An American Bohemian in Europe. He is also preparing another book for publication, Up Northwith Uncle Bob, and is currently writing another novel, conditionaly entitled Joey Appleshoe.

Three of the New Fauves united to participate in the Perry Paint-Out in Petoskey, Michigan in August. Ken Christensen was visiting his old stomping grounds in Northern Michigan and checking on his galleries in Petoskey, Traverse City and Grand Rapids. Kevin Barton and David Pickett, Petoskey natives, were also part of the paint out. Kevin has been very busy participating in the many art events in Michigan in the summer. The artists painted in the garden of Stafford's Perry Hotel for the day and the paintings were part of a silent auction at Stafford's Gallery two days later. As usual, all three created great works and had a great time painting and joking together.